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How-To Geek

Microsoft allows anyone to download Windows 10 for free and install it without a product key. It’ll keep working for the foreseeable future, with only a few small cosmetic restrictions. And you can even pay to upgrade to a licensed copy of Windows 10 after you install it.

How to Download Windows 10 and Install it Without a Key

First, you’ll need to download Windows 10. You can download it directly from Microsoft, and you don’t even need a product key to download a copy.

There’s a Windows 10 download tool that runs on Windows systems, which will help you create a USB drive to install Windows 10. If you aren’t on Windows, you can visit the Windows 10 ISO download page to download an ISO directly (say, if you’re installing Windows 10 in Boot Camp on a Mac). If you visit that page on a Windows machine, it’ll redirect you to the download tool page instead.

Just begin the installation process and install Windows 10 like you normally would. One of the first screens you’ll see will ask you to enter your product key so you can “Activate Windows.” However, you can just click the “I don’t have a product key” link at the bottom of the window and Windows will allow you to continue the installation process. You may be asked to enter a product key later in the process, too–if you are, just look for a similar small link to skip that screen.

When you select this option, you’ll be able to install either “Windows 10 Home” or “Windows 10 Pro.” Bear in mind that, if you plan to pay to upgrade to the paid version later, it’ll be cheaper to upgrade to Windows 10 Home, so you may want to install the Home version. Whatever version you choose, Windows 10 will install normally.

The Cosmetic Limitations

After you’ve installed Windows 10 without a key, it won’t actually be activated. However, an unactivated version of Windows 10 doesn’t have many restrictions. With Windows XP, Microsoft actually used Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) to disable access to your computer. These days, Windows just complains at you in a few minor, cosmetic ways.

Initially, you won’t notice a difference. Eventually, Windows will start nagging you a tiny bit. First, you’ll notice a watermark in the bottom-right corner of your screen. You’ll also see a “Windows isn’t activated. Activate Windows now.” link at the bottom of the Settings app. This is the only form of nag you’ll see–there are no pop-up windows, for example.

Second, you’ll be unable to change your desktop wallpaper and from the Personalization > Background screen in the Settings app. You’ll see a “You need to activate Windows before you can personalize your PC” message at the top of this window, and the options for changing your wallpaper will be grayed out.

You can still change your wallpaper in other ways, however. For example, you can right-click an image in File Explorer and select “Set as desktop background.” You could also open an image in the Photos app, click the menu button, click “Set as,” and click “Set as background.” Windows 7 eventually switched you back to a black background, but Windows 10 doesn’t seem to do this.

You’ll find Windows 10’s included wallpapers under the C:\Windows\Web folder in File Explorer.

Aside from these basic limitations, your Windows 10 system will continue to work forever. There are no nag prompts aside from the watermark, you’ll get all the system updates, and everything else is completely functional. The only thing that could change this is a Windows 10 update, but Microsoft has become increasingly lenient since Windows 7.

How to Upgrade Windows 10 to an Activated Version

With Windows 10, you can now pay to upgrade a “non-genuine” copy of Windows to a licensed one. Open the Settings app and head to Update & Security > Activation. You’ll see a “Go to Store” button that will take you to the Windows Store if Windows isn’t licensed.

In the Store, you can purchase an official Windows license that will activate your PC. The Home version of Windows 10 costs $120, while the Pro version costs $200. This is a digital purchase, and it will immediately cause your current Windows installation to become activated. You don’t need to purchase a physical license.

We installed Windows 10 Professional as an example here, so the Windows Store will only let us purchase the $200 Windows 10 Pro license.

This option may not be available in all countries. The prices here are for the US version of the Windows Store. Microsoft charges different prices in different countries and currencies.

Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 worked about the same way. Microsoft just didn’t officially allow you to download Windows without a product key, and there was no way to fully upgrade to a licensed system from within Windows. That makes this all the more tempting with Windows 10–for example, you can install Windows 10 in Boot Camp on your Mac for free and, if you find yourself using it frequently, you can quickly pay to remove the watermark if that’s worth it for you. It’s like a free demo, and you can use it to make all the virtual machines you like for testing purposes.

Sure, the license agreement may say you’re not supposed to use it without a key, but Microsoft’s license agreements say all sorts of confusing things. Microsoft’s license agreement still forbids using the popular “OEM” copies of Windows 10 on PCs you build yourself. If Microsoft doesn’t want people using unactivated copies of Windows 10 for extended periods of time, it can release a system update that disables this.

Was wondering if you did a clean install and down the road decided to activate Windows 10 could you use an existing Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 key that you have?

Ed Bott had mentioned that since the release of Threshold2 back in November that one could use either Windows 7 or Windows 8 keys during the installation process when prompted if you wanted to have an activated Windows 10 install.

Just wondering if in fact you did not use a key at all during the install as outlined in your article could you in fact use your existing Windows7/8.1 key after the fact to activate/authenticate the new Windows10 installation?

What kind of computer / OS were you using to get the 23 / 64 bit iso download option page? Quite a few of your readers may try to access that link from a windows based PC and all they might get , as I did, option for upgrading only. No direct download link whatsoever.

BTW I always do a clean install on a totally isolated primary partition to test the waters. This is regardless of what OS I might be experimenting with.

No, szucsjan is right, I believe that's an error (unless Microsoft changed something in the middle of the night). That page has the tool, which you can download to create an ISO. But you need a Windows computer to do so; I don't believe there are any direct ISO downloads on Microsoft's site. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. In the meantime, I'll fix the article.

What I meant was that if you installed Windows 10 using the instructions in this article and not activate it and then decide a week or two later that you wanted a fully activated version will it activate properly if you then enter an existing Windows7 or Windows 8.1 key or do you have to purchase the key through the MS store?

What I meant was that if you installed Windows 10 using the instructions in this article and not activate it and then decide a week or two later that you wanted a fully activated version will it activate properly if you then enter an existing Windows7 or Windows 8.1 key or do you have to purchase the key through the MS store?

Again, my understanding (and some experience doing clean installs lately) is that if you use a key from an older version that has not yet been upgraded it will work. I doubt it will work after July 2016, unless Microsoft extends the deadline to upgrade for free.

This sounds like a great way to get lots of holdouts to finally install win10, get dependent on it and fill it with all their important files. What's to keep m-soft from sending out a future update that will lock up/encrypt the PC with all your files in it till you pay their activation fees?OK, call me paranoid, but this IS Micro$oft that we're dealing with here---

This article bothers me on several fronts. The whole premise is that you can use a non-activated Windows 10 indefinitely with only a few minor issues.

Whether you want to install Windows 10 in Boot Camp, put it on an old computer that isn’t eligible for a free upgrade, or create one or more virtual machines, you don’t actually need to pay a cent.

In the case of an XP or Vista computer that you want to put Windows 10 on, you aren't eligible for the free upgrade. Just because you decide you want Windows 10 for free and think Microsoft should have made it available to users with Vista doesn't mean you should rip the company off. Also, I think the license specifically mentions that you need a separate license for each virtual machine.

That makes this all the more tempting with Windows 10–for example, you can install Windows 10 in Boot Camp on your Mac for free and, if you find yourself using it frequently, you can quickly pay to remove the watermark if that’s worth it for you. It’s like a free demo, and you can use it to make all the virtual machines you like for testing purposes.

If it is the same as previous versions, Windows gives you a thirty-day grace period to activate before starting to nag. The purpose of this is for a free trial, but if you plan on using it beyond the grace period, you should pay. Even if you would rather have $120 than a watermark-less desktop, you should pay.

Sure, the license agreement may say you’re not supposed to use it without a key, but Microsoft’s license agreements say all sorts of confusing things. Microsoft’s license agreement still forbids using the popular “OEM” copies of Windows 10 on PCs you build yourself. If Microsoft doesn’t want people using unactivated copies of Windows 10 for extended periods of time, it can release a system update that disables this.

There is a huge difference between buying the wrong kind of Windows and not paying Microsoft at all. Microsoft will happily take your money for any kind of Windows. They don't want you using unactivated Windows, even if they don't care that much. After all, remember the confusion over upgrading pirated Windows 7/8/8.1? They didn't give out free licenses there.

I don't want to get into the debate about whether Microsoft is trustworthy. The same arguments can be applied to any business, from a new startup to Apple or Google, or Alphabet, or whatever they are calling themselves lately.

This is a rather bold statement: “Aside from these basic limitations, your Windows 10 system will continue to work forever.”

Really? Until the end of time?

Does anyone have anything more concrete from Microsoft on this? It would seem from the article that the only reason to pay for a license on a new build would be to remove a watermark.

I have had a very recent experience of this kind of thing with Win 7. I had two HP laptops (almost identical), and one of them died. It was motherboard/CPU related and, rather than spend the time and money to fix it I simply switched the HDDs. I couldn’t transfer the OEM license but, by then, it was a machine that was only used occasionally to test things in Win 7, etc. On the occasions I used it, I was constantly nagged, and it interrupted what I was doing with various notifications. It would not install anything but a critical updates.

Microsoft is desperate to get its billion users for Windows 10. Once it is satisfied with adoption I expect it will ratchet down on the restrictions on this technique. In the meantime I suppose it's all good.

@eikelein, I had to contact Microsoft for one of the upgrades I did before the November release because it would not accept the key and they generated a new one for me. I used the Contact Support option on the All Apps menu. Try that from the computer you're trying to upgrade.

I don't think this'll last. What if Microsoft releases an update that makes this article moot? Will you get a chance to backup your data? Because if you don't, that'll be a waste of energy and time (to recover the data).

They have and will continue to shut down windows that is not activated.If you install Windows 10 on a computer, it will function for 30 days, and in fact you can personalize it IF you had set up an older PC with your outlook.com account. HOWEVER unless you upgraded, then once a certain update comes along, it will deactivate your internet.

Now I know many will say hogwash, but I proved it by installing Windows 10 without a key, then logging onto my outlook to personalize it. It all worked great.I could do everything, fully functional and you can personalize. It still is not activated of course.Then I did a complete image of Windows 10. Was happily enjoyng everything, then recently it put a yellow triangleOk so I spent a little time trying to figure out why suddenly my internet would no longer function. That was a failure.So I restored the whole thing as a test.Woila seemed to work internet came right back, About 5 minutes later wham no internet. Same problem. I had not done any online activity even.

I gave up and went back to Windows 7. Perhaps it was a virus but I probably will never know. I came to the conclusion, that most likely microsoft has a security update that installed and disabled it.So that is how you will get shutdown if it fails to activate. No internet makes it pretty much useless.So likely it will run as an upgrade but not as a clean install.Not without purchasing a key.

Basically you cannot complain and at least you get a 30 day grace period to determine if Windows 10 is what you want, and then choose to purchase it.